Famous 19th Century British Soldiers

Robert Falcon Scott was an explorer and Royal Navy officer. He is remembered for leading two expeditions to the Antarctic regions, the second of which was the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition. Although Scott and his companions died during the second expedition, they helped discover the first Antarctic fossils, which proved that the place was once forested.

Wilfred Owen was an English soldier and poet. One of the most important poets during World War I, Owen wrote about the horrors of gas warfare. His life and career inspired a docudrama titled Wilfred Owen: A Remembrance Tale where he was portrayed by Samuel Barnett. In 1989, the Wilfred Owen Association was established to commemorate his life and poetry.

Siegfried Sassoon was an English writer, poet, and soldier. One of the most popular poets during the First World War, Sassoon's works satirized the patriotic pretensions of those accountable for the war as well as described the horrors of the war. Siegfried Sassoon's works and ideology greatly influenced another leading poet of the First World War, Wilfred Owen.

Richard Francis Burton was a British explorer, soldier, and scholar. He is best remembered for his explorations in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Along with John Hanning Speke, Burton was the first European to witness the Great Lakes of Africa. A prolific writer, Burton wrote several scholarly articles about numerous subjects like sexual practices, falconry, human behavior, travel, and ethnography.

Banastre Tarleton was a British politician and general. He served in the American Revolutionary War where he was a lieutenant colonel. An iconic figure, Tarleton has been portrayed in several films, such as Sweet Liberty, The Patriot, and Amazing Grace. He has also been depicted in many TV series and novels.   

Harry Patch was an English soldier who served during the First World War. A supercentenarian, Patch was the last surviving combat soldier to have fought in the trenches during the First World War. At the time of his death, Harry Patch was the world's third oldest man and the oldest man in Europe.

Henry Tandey was a British soldier who played an important role during the First World War. In 1918, Tandey was honored with the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his efforts during the second Battle of Cambrai. The same year, Henry Tandey was also honored with the prestigious Victoria Cross for exhibiting bravery in the face of death.

Blamed for undermining the British Imperial prestige by surrendering to the Japanese Army during the Battle of Singapore, Arthur Percival was actually a distinguished military officer, known for his successful campaigns in interwar period.  Plagued with underequipped garrison from the beginning, he was forced to surrender in order to save the lives of his 100,000 men and became the scapegoat.

John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher, was 13 when he first joined the navy. The British admiral later became the First Sea Lord. He is remembered for introducing torpedo-boat destroyers and for improving the naval gunnery. He retired over bitter disagreements with the likes of Winston Churchill and their naval expedition plans.

Royal Engineers army officer John Chard was one of the 11 men to receive the Victoria Cross for defeating a Zulu army of 4,000 warriors at the battle of Rorke's Drift, with a British army of 135. His handwritten account of the war was later auctioned off for £175,000.

Recipient of the Victoria Cross, Gonville Bromhead was a British army officer, hailed for his role in the defence of Rorke's Drift during 1879 Anglo-Zulu War. He not only played an important part in repulsing the Zulu assault, but also stayed back to defend the area from future attacks until he was sent back to England to receive his award.  

Known for his distinguish services during WWI, Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby, is especially hailed for his decisive victory over the Turks at Gaza, leading to the capture of Jerusalem. Later, he also captured Damascus and Aleppo, thus ending Ottoman power in Syria. Later appointed Special High Commissioner of Egypt, he governed the country firmly, until its independence in 1922.

Stewart Menzies led the British secret service, the MI6, for over a decade. Born into an affluent family and educated at Eton, he excelled in academics and had a brief military career. He is remembered for his role in the forging of The Zinoviev Letter and for his multiple high-profile marriages.

Royal Navy officer David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty, had been the Admiral of the Fleet and is remembered for his exploits in World War I. Some of his major heroics were seen in the Battle of Jutland and the Battle of Heligoland Bight. He was also knighted for his achievements.

Part of the Scottish royal Bruce family, Thomas Bruce, became the 7th Earl of Elgin at age 5. He later joined the army and became a Lieutenant General. A classical art lover, he later became famous for his collection of Greek marble sculptures, mainly acquired from the Parthenon in Athens.

British statesman and Conservative Party politician Samuel Hoare is best remembered for framing the 1935 Government of India Act as the secretary of state for India. Initially a military officer, he had served in Russia and Italy. His Hoare–Laval Plan for partitioning Ethiopia was highly criticized.

Apart from being a British army officer, James Macdonald was also a skilled engineer. He is known for his exploration of the British East Africa, which comprises Kenya and Uganda now. As a railroad surveyor, he also mapped vast expanses of Africa, till Sudan. He was also knighted for his achievements.